BILL NUMBER: ACR 74	CHAPTERED  01/25/00

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   3
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   JANUARY 25, 2000
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 26, 1999
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   JANUARY 20, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lowenthal

                        JULY 7, 1999

   Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 74--Relative to the Year of the
Child.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 74, Lowenthal.  Relative to the Year of the Child.
   This measure would declare the year 2000 to be the Year of the
Child.




   WHEREAS, Children are our state's most precious resource; and
   WHEREAS, Children are vulnerable and dependent upon adults to
ensure their physical and emotional health and safety; and
   WHEREAS, One in four California children (2.5 million) live in
poverty; and
   WHEREAS, The number of children living in poverty grew by 900,000
in the most recent decade in the midst of our state's economic
expansion; and
   WHEREAS, Approximately 1.85 million children in California lack
health insurance, either public or private, which would often give
them their only access to health care; and
   WHEREAS, Only one in four children who qualify for subsidized
child care in California can enroll due to limited funding; and
   WHEREAS, The state's fourth-grade reading scores are among the
lowest in the country; and
   WHEREAS, The Governor and the Legislature have committed
themselves to educational excellence by holding a special legislative
session to address children's education needs; and
   WHEREAS, California has tremendous economic and intellectual
resources to address these issues; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
hereby declares the year 2000 to be the Year of the Child; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Legislature pledges to dedicate sufficient
resources and energy to provide every child with the tools necessary
to make attainable dreams come true; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon all Californians to
promote the well-being of children and to provide children with
opportunities to experience, understand, and respect other children,
their similarities and differences; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress to increase funding
for children's programs; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature encourages all state agencies to
examine how their mandates and goals include the needs of children;
and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature supports the creation of events
throughout the year to celebrate the joys and expectations of
childhood; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature urges the business community and
the retired community to strengthen connections with programs and
opportunities that enhance the education and welfare of children; and
be further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit a copy of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
